


The Stuff of Nightmares

by branwen lavellan (Revasnaslan)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Background Solas/Female Lavellan, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, The Fade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2019-09-06 18:50:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16838359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Revasnaslan/pseuds/branwen%20lavellan
Summary: The Nightmare taunts Branwen.





	The Stuff of Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> voski lavellan belongs to my friend, branwen is mine.
> 
> crossposted from tumblr on dec 03 2018.

Branwen dropped to her knees as the final fearling fell. The area around her was littered with bodies, every single one struck down by a staff blade through the middle or a precisely aimed bolt of fire magic—her _mamae_ and _babae_ … her grandmother, Voski, Ella… Cole, Dorian, Cassandra, Solas… the body closest to her was an imitation of her late brother, Talfryn, and it slowly faded from existence with a dull glow of green light. She hugged her arms around herself as her breathing came out in pants, eyes wide as she shook violently and tried to keep herself together.

“ _You didn’t protect us!_ ” Talfryn had shouted.

“ _This is_ your _fault!_ ” her _mamae_ had screamed.

She could hear someone saying her name nearby, a hand on her shoulder, but she didn’t react.

“ _Ir abelas, isa’ma’lin… ir abelas, mamae… ir abelas, ir abelas, ir abelas…_ ” she whispered, repeating the phrase over and over again. She closed her eyes as tears began to roll down her cheeks, and her shoulders shook as she sobbed.

“You know in your heart is was your fault, _da’revas_.”

Branwen’s head shot up and a shiver ran up her spine. She got to her feet shakily, grabbing her staff off the ground, and glancing around quickly as she tried to locate the source of the voice that was now echoing throughout this pocket of the Fade. The Nightmare was taunting _her_ now, it seemed.

“You ran. He followed. If you had just listened to your precious _mamae_ , they’d both still be alive,” the Nightmare continued.

Branwen felt her stomach drop as a feeling of nausea came over her. She _knew_ what she had done, she didn’t need a demon to remind her—especially when the demon was _right_. She had been _so stupid_ , hadn’t listened to any of the orders anybody had given her that day. She hadn’t listened when her mother had told her to stay in camp and not go and explore that ruin. She hadn’t listened when her brother had told her to get back to camp.

She hadn’t listened when her brother told her to _run_.

“ _Da’revas! Go_ now _! There isn’t any time to argue!_ ”

“ _No! I’m not leaving you behind!_ ”

She gripped her staff more tightly. She remembered seeing her brother get shot between the ribs by a bandit’s arrow when he pushed her out of the way, her desperate attempts to keep him protected until the hunters could arrive and offer aid, only for Talfryn to pass before any help arrived. She remembered her mother slowly slipping further and further as the loss of Talfryn wore on her, how her mother never smiled, how she forgot how to laugh, how she later wouldn’t even speak.

She remembered her father waking her up one morning, trying to be strong for her even through the tears, because her mother had lost the fight.

“Who will die next because you _failed_ , I wonder? You can’t protect your _da’mi_ and _da’vunin_ from me…”

Branwen’s eyes narrowed at that. She knew that it was her fault but by the Creators, she was _not_ going to let this demon taunt her, and she was not letting it within ten feet of Voski and Ella, not _her_ kids. The Nightmare would only get to Voski and Ella if it was over her dead, cold, lifeless body. “Fuck you, Dread Wolf take you!” she spat.

The Nightmare gave a low chuckle at that.

“He is already quite taken _with you_.”

Then it was silent.

But Branwen was still shaking, looking around quickly as if the Nightmare was going to materialize in front of her and attack right then and there. She jumped when she felt a hand on her back, and she turned her head to see Voski looking at her worriedly.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I… I’m fine, _da’mi_ …” she said, shrugging his hand off. “Let’s just out of this hell hole.”

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: [revasnaslan](http://revasnaslan.tumblr.com/)  
> twitter: [revasnaslan](https://twitter.com/revasnaslan)


End file.
